04-12-2014, 01:26 PM
Santa Fe switchers in downtown Los Angeles in the late 1970s would be mainly CF7s. Earlier in the 1970s you might see Alco S-2s and S-4s. The Southern Pacific, which ran within a block or two of the Santa Fe trackage, would have been using EMD SW1500s. That was about it for downtown LA. The Santa Fe basically didn't have GP38-2s; the SP got some very late, but they were a type with different details from the Bachmann version. If you wanted to use an out of the box inexpensive loco, your best bet by far would be Bachmann Santa Fe S-2 or S-4.
A much later choice, especially for single color, would be Helm GP38-2s, which have turned up on the UP out here:
A much later choice, especially for single color, would be Helm GP38-2s, which have turned up on the UP out here: